HUMANE RELIGION

A Christian Ministry for Humans, Animals and the Environment

Humane Religion Magazinefrom Humane Religion

Cheap Grace
September - October 2008 Issue

It appears to be fashionable in some "born again" Christian circles to
decry "works," "religion," "self-discipline," and "legalism." On the other
hand, the Emperor Constantine has become a "whipping boy": the "ogre" who
opened the floodgates to allow the masses to be baptized as Christians.

As I see it, some of these modern Christians are "talking out of both
sides of their mouth." On one hand they proclaim that God's grace is free
and cannot be earned, being liberally bestowed upon those who ask in His
Name; while on the other hand they rant and rave about Constantine's
actions, or about the "liberal" church.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) seems to have struggled with the same
concepts, accusing the Protestant churches and especially the Lutheran
Church of "gathering like eagles 'round the carcass of cheap grace.' " In a
nutshell, "Cheap grace preaches forgiveness without repentance."

Yet, the followers of Christ are called "disciples," and it doesn't take
much linguistic ability to see that "disciples" and "discipline" must come
from the same root word. According to my dictionary, "discipline," used as a
noun, means "instruction and exercise designed to train to proper conduct or
action" and "subjection to rules of conduct or behavior; a state of order
maintained by training and control."

My observation of some Evangelical and Pentecostal churches has revealed
an almost "in your face" denunciation of anything that may be perceived as
"disciplinary" or "legalistic," resulting in a "controlled anarchy" or rule
by social pressure among the members. Popular phrases such as "walk the
walk" abound in such settings; but when I was growing up, I heard "talk is
cheap."

When all is said and done, the key is "change." To be a Christian one
must change; and that change must be manifested in one's behavior. That's
where discipline enters the picture. True, the Holy Spirit, as the Helper,
enters the believer to bring about change. But self-discipline, yes, "work"
is needed for change and continued growth. Our world of instant
gratification has taken its toll in the Christian Church. Many live in the
"hype" of popular Christianity, as witnessed by the thousands of
sensation-seekers thronging huge amphitheater-churches run by
televangelists. Paul writes in Philippians 2:12 (KJV), "...work out your own
salvation with fear and trembling." And in James 2:26 (KJV) we find, "For as
the body apart from the spirit is dead, so faith apart from works is dead."

Bonhoeffer's "cheap grace" has evolved into even cheaper Christianity. We
are inundated by cheap "Christian" music, cheap "Christian" romance novels,
magazines, T-shirts, bumper-stickers, ad nauseam. We have lost the beauty,
the sanctity of our Savior. Too many are busy trying to merchandise Jesus,
the Jesus who "drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he
overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold
pigeons. He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house
of prayer'; but you make it a den of robbers." (Matthew 21:12, KJV) See also
John 2:14-15 KJV.

I believe it was J. Vernon McGee who stated in one of his Christian radio
broadcasts something to the effect that Christians are five years behind the
world in adopting unwholesome, sinful behavior. Just look at how couples who
claim to be Christian live openly "in sin." What used to be called "shacking
up" is now accepted even in "proper" social circles. Is it any wonder that
more children than ever have serious emotional problems? And that the
leading cause of death in children five years of age to teenage is suicide?
Messages of self-indulgence bombard us everywhere we turn, with many church
leaders in the forefront of leading their flocks astray.

I have often wondered about the claims of some evangelists that
multitudes are coming to Christ and that huge end-time revivals are
imminent. When I read the Bible I see references to a "remnant" being saved.
The dictionary definition of remnant is, "a part, quantity, or number
(usually small), remaining."

Another self-indulgent thought with which many Christians comfort
themselves is the belief that they will never have to suffer. They believe
that they will be whisked away "pre-tribulation." Meanwhile, they max-out
their credit cards believing that there is no day of reckoning stored up for
them. To them, Jesus appears to be a personal Santa Claus, as well as
personal Savior.

Hardness of heart, with resulting cruelty, comes in the wake of
self-indulgence. An example of this is the televangelist's wife publicly
trying to justify her own and her husband's wearing of fur coats by citing
the Genesis account of God clothing Adam and Eve with skins. If such
Christian leaders really had the love for lost souls that they loudly
proclaim they have, wouldn't it be a small sacrifice for them to refrain
from indulging themselves in behavior that is driving many sensitive souls
into the ranks of non-Christians? Yet the Apostle Paul advises believers to
refrain from partaking in anything which would weaken another's faith in
Christ.

Another popular "whipping boy" or "scapegoat" of contemporary, popular
Christianity is "new age" and "liberal." These two have become the dumping
ground for anything from the truly detrimental to something that they don't
want to understand, such as the immense, totally unnecessary suffering
of animals to which they contribute. It appears that the overriding emotion
here is "fear." Something not understood (regardless of whether it is good
or evil) is feared. So, anything different, new, or misunderstood is fair
game for the label of "new age or liberal" dooming the thing so labeled to
the status of "pariah." In some circles, "herbs," "vegetarian," and
"alternative," for example, have been so labeled. Yet, in 1 John 4:18 (KJV)
we find, "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For
fear has to do with punishment, and he who fears is not perfected in love."

Again, it is much easier to hunt for demons than to change our own
behavior to conform with Christ's. Which brings me back to something J.
Vernon McGee said: that if you simply tread the narrow path, avoiding sin in
your own life, you don't have to go around "demon hunting."

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